Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Cinque Terre-Mysterious Liguria

It all began with a SWAP program in England. Working in London was very rewarding because I had the chance to see some of the most untouched sceneries in Europe. One of the most memorable ones was Cinque Terre, five quaint villages spread along the Liguria strip in Italy.

After working long shifts, some of which ran late into the night, I managed to save enough British Pounds to take a cheap Ryan Air flight to Florence and practice my rusty Italian. Flights can start at 0 Pounds (seriously) + tax and range all the way to 200 Pounds. As always, the earlier you book, the cheaper you fly. But let’s get to the point.

Florence is the heart of Tuscany. From here you can travel in any direction by train for as little as 3 Euros. Regardless of where you go, you will be mesmorized by the untouched landscape of carefully lined cypress trees and winding roads. But since Florence is so comfortably situated in the middle of northern Italy, I decided to take it farther and go to Liguria. This is where you will discover Cinque Terre. As the name gives it away, this is a region of five little villages hidden behind luscious hills and sorrounded by never ending vineyards, all overlooking to the Ligurian Sea. The train ride from Florence is about two hours (about 7 Euros on weekends). The villages are small, so if you are properly geared you can hike through the coastline by sunset.

I took the first train out of Florence accompanied by a friend from my Italian class. After having been enamoured by the stunning views of the coastline from the train, we couldn’t wait to get off at the next stop. However, we had to hold back our exciment, as if we were holding our very breath until we arrived at the last stop, the village of Monterosso. From here we hiked back to the village Riomaggiore. The first hiking path is the hardest, but the view cannot be described in words. The trail takes you through rolling hills and valleys, all covered with the tapestry of vineyards while the turquoise sea sparkles below and to the east. Once you reach the top of the trail, you have no choice, you must stop, take a deep breath and hope that if there were ever a time to capture a photographic memory and record every colour, shade and contour in your mind then this has to be it. You are now surrounded by lemon trees and the scent of fresh air as you see Monterosso slowly being erased by the fog. Look to your left and you will see the other three villages secretly hidden behind mountains, just waiting to be discovered. The thought of having to walk that entire path made us nervous and excited at the same time.

After an hour and half we began the descend from the hills and we could see the town of Vernazza peaking through the trees below us. First thing's first, we had to eat. One would think that at this point it would be preferrable to find a bench to rest your weary feet but strangely enough, we didn’t feel tired. We found a pizzeria where the pizza is freshly baked in a stone oven. The prices are reasonable for the type of pizza you get, crunchy dough topped with eggplants, fresh cherry tomatoes, melted mozzarella and coriander. How much more Italian can you get? It was delicious! To finish our meal, we found a nearby gelateria (ice cream shop) and treated ourselves to a creamy gelato. With ice cream in one hand and our cameras in the other we ventured through this fairy-tale-like town. After five minutes we found ourselves lost on a secluded residential street, surrounded by colorful buildings with socks and pajamas hanging out their windows while two kids below played “catch me if you can”. We followed them and came out to the main square.

The next hiking trail to Corniglia was closed due to rain. So my friend and I hopped on the train for a quick ride to the next town. From here on, the trails become easy and short. They’re not as adventurous as the first one; however, they loose none of the region's beauty. By the time we arrived at the last one, which would take us from Manarola to Riomaggiore, the sun had begun to set. This last passage is called Via dell’Amore (Lovers’ Lane). We asked ourselves what was so romantic about this trail? Well, it feels different to everyone. For me…the sight of the Mediterrean as the sun dissapeared underneath its waves; the canvas of the sky coloured in red and orange hues and the view of a single boat floating in the distance...to me, that was romantic.

It was already six pm. By now we had walked eight hours, however they didn't feel either long nor tiresome. I felt energized and strong. Sitting in the train on our way back to Florence, I reviewed my photos in my digital camera. It was an energizing experience to have come here and have seen the splendid beauty of Cinque Terre.

It is funny where life can take you sometimes. I thought I was just going on a SWAP program to the UK. Instead I had the fortune of studying Italian in Florence, made new friends and discovered the beauty of the Ligurian coastline. Who would have imagined? Once you’re on the road you realize the whole world is at your feet waiting to be discovered. Many paths in life cross each other, you may start in one and in the end of your journey you may realize you are not were you thought you would be. You are in a better place, perhaps in the most beautiful corner of our world. So, maybe it is your turn to pack your bags and discover what is waiting for you on the other side of the ocean. You will be amazed!

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